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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It is that time of year again - May is our busiest month here on Balboa Island. First the All-Island Garage Sale, then the day we honor our Moms and this Sunday is the Balboa Island Art Walk.

In its 15th year the Art Walk has evolved from a few blocks of artists to Over A Mile of Art and Music on South Bayfront!! Debra Huse has done another great job of gathering Artists and Musicians to entertain and enthrall us.

A few years ago I bought a lovely painting by my neighbor Barbara Baumgartner. And last year I got some greeting cards from local photographers and Terry Lewis and Ralph Velasco. I use the cards all year long to send to friends and relatives on birthdays and other occasions. They love the beautiful photographs and I love supporting my neighbors. As a small business person I love helping the "little guy".

Come out and enjoy our Beautiful Balboa Island weather, listen to some wonderful music and buy a reminder of this fabulous day.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

I looked out my window last week and saw furry animals. Human size! Another movie? A prank? Who were these people dressed as giant animals getting out of a bright yellow truck?

I headed for the street with my camera to put the pictures on www.balboa-island.com, but decided they would be more fun here instead.

The two young people - a man and a woman - were headed for the fun zone to just have fun with the tourists walking around. I expect this in Hollywood, not here. They said they just did this for fun. For the look of surprise on the faces of children when they saw them. To make people laugh.

What a great, fun thing to do. You just never know what you are going to see when you look out my window. This is the BEST street to live on. Balboa Island is a great place to live - but this street "rocks" as my grandchildren like to say!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The All Island Garage Sale was a smashing success. The weather co-operated. There were more people walking and less people blocking the alleys with cars. I only had rave reviews from the participants. One lady did get a parking ticket that I know of for being in the red zone "a few inches". That is why I warned everyone over and over on my Craig's List posting to stay out of the red zones - it was an expensive ticket - $69.00 actually. Kind of takes the "bargain" out of the Garage Sale. I also mentioned parking off the island and walking with a wagon or biking in - I saw much more of that as well.

One lesson learned. A woman lost her wallet getting out of the car on Agate. She was flying home on Sunday and her ID was in her wallet. She had no other form of ID. I called the Newport Beach police and they said no one had turned a wallet in at the desk. The officer on duty told me that if the wallet had been given to an officer it would be logged in at property. The property room is only open weekdays from 8 am until 5 pm. So she could not get her ID before Monday if it had been turned in.

The officer continued that if she went to the police department between 8 - 5 even on the weekends she could file a Lost Property Report. Usually the airlines will accept that as a form of identification. I also posted her wallet on the "Lost and Found" page of www.balboa-island.com just in case. We have had things found as a result of the postings. And people on Balboa Island are an honest, internet savvy lot.

This was a great lesson for me. If I am traveling and need to have ID I usually take my passport as well because it is easier to put it in the holder and hang it around my neck. Then I lock it in the safe in my hotel room. Now I know why. I lose things constantly. And even if I lose my wallet or forget my driver's license when I show it for ID - I still have my passport as a safe backup. I guess it was a happy coincidence until now :)